The Thunderer–Savaged

I wanted to see how a Legends-style cult would work in Savage Worlds, so I decided to have a crack at converting the Cult of the Thunderer from the core rulebook. Setting aside the description of the cult and its aims, I read the descriptions of various skills and powers in both rulebooks, picked ones that had similar effects and assumed that skills applied to Wild Cards, so the probabilities of success should allow for a Wild Die. I also assumed that each point of POW dedicated represented a power learned. I wound up with this:

In addition, this cult can teach members with Arcane Background (Miracles) the following powers: Armour, Blast, Succor.

CULT SKILLS

The cult offers training in the following: Climbing, Faith, Fighting, Knowledge (Religion), Notice. (That tells me that it favours Agility, Smarts, and Spirit in its members.)

RANKS

Lay Members: Anyone who supports cult warriors and worships at cult shrines can be a lay member.

Initiates: To become an initiate requires d4 in each of the cult skills. I decided to waive the requirement for one power, because the appropriate Arcane Background for a cult is Miracles, and that gives you at least two. I might waive the requirement for Faith d4 as well, since an initiate might not have Arcane Background, without which Faith is pointless.

Acolytes: To be recognised as an acolyte, the cult member must have killed an enemy of the tribe, have Arcane Background (Miracles), and know at least three powers. Novice PCs would probably qualify for acolyte status early on, as they could start with all the powers and skills they need, and would only need to kill a foe – sounds like the first adventure.

Priests: To become a priest, the cult member must have d8 or better in each cult skill, Arcane Background (Miracles) and at least five powers. That would need somewhere in the region of 9 advances, so a PC priest would most likely be of Veteran rank.

High Priests: These must have d12 in all cult skills, Arcane Background (Miracles), and at least seven powers. That needs about another 12 advances from priest, so PC high priests are likely to be well into Legendary rank.

This has promise, I think; I like the idea of the PCs being part of a larger organisation, and I’ve seen cults work well in the past.